Team-BHP - Auto Lighting thread : Post all queries about automobile lighting here

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread but here goes anyways.

1. The small black dots which the service chaps usually put are of no use. The new bulbs already have the centre part blackened out.

2. Maruti also puts a sticker shade on the top of the light with the service centre name. This is again useless and infact blocks the low beam instead of the high beam.

The high beam light is due to the reflections from the lower part of the headlamp design. The low beam is because of reflections which bounce of the upper part of the lamp cluster. If you look closely you can easily see this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by leadf00t (Post 1473180)

I have installed a relay wiring mated to 100/90 philips rally eye bulbs.

I have come up to a opinion that if you car sports glass reflectors, ugrade your wiring.
Install the 100/90 philips rally eye bulbs which cost abt 150 bucks a piece. evem if one filament failed just throw it off and buy anew one. the throw spread and power is brilliant for continours night driving on and off the higway.

Turns out to be a much more economical choice than buy expensive bulbs worth a lot more than 150 bucks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by akshay_b (Post 1473512)

Fog lamps wont help you in the night, The original ones will cost you 6k-7k, If you just want them to add beauty to your car, you can buy lumax fog lamps for 2k.

Upgrading the bulbs to 90/100W with wiring and relay will help you a lot and wont drain your battery fast unlike the 130W bulbs.

So, Lumax fog lamps 2k + 0.5k(original hyundai switch-optional)
90/100W with wiring, relay and holders will cost you less than 1k.

Will I need another set of relay if I wish to install Lumax fogs on my Getz? Or the existing relay for my 100/90W would serve the purpose?

Quote:

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi (Post 1478556)

Totally agree!:thumbs up
I have got the same setup on my Getz and I am very satisfied with the output. IMHO< its much better and more VFM going this route. Total cost of bulbs+wiring+relay+ceramic holders+install would work out to be around 1-1.2k. Much cheaper than 60/55w Nightbreakers/Crystal/Diamond Vision etc.

Will I need another set of relay if I wish to install Lumax fogs on my Getz? Or the existing relay for my 100/90W would serve the purpose?

Typically the cost of installing the philips 100/90 comes to around Rs1200. Completely worth it. No one in this forum has complained once they have upgraded to this setup. However, as mentioned above, when you upgrade make sure you upgrade the holders/wires/relay as well.

Make sure you check if the setup voids the warranty in anyway. Warranty is more important

Quote:

Originally Posted by ash_blore (Post 1478997)

The higher wattage bulbs generate more heat as well. There is every possibility of damage to headlight assembly and surrounding parts (especially when the lights are on in stop & go city traffic for extended periods of time) as set out by anarchist, cf. below. This problem however may not occour if the car runs mostly on highways where higher speeds mean more air flow to cool the headlights.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anarchist (Post 1473537)

Hi,

I have installed 130/100 lighting with diff wiring n ceramic holders et all the works. It was working fine till one day one of the headlights was dimmer than the other. Got this checked and found that the ceramic holder was burnt so got it replaced. It was fine for sometime and again I got the same issue of one of the lights being dimmer than the other. This time I was told that there is some problem with the earthing and earthing was rechecked and redone with some additional earthing connects done. After some days the problem repeats and again the earthing was done and it was working fine. A few days back I started getting a wierd sound from the engine bay, got the car serviced and the service engineer told me that the headlight adjuster or whatever its called has a problem with the motor and the entire headlight unit has to be replaced and I lose warranty as I have used a high wattage bulb.

......

(Underlining by me).

Hello all,

I was searching for Philips Vision Plus in Accessory shops in Mumbai. I was told Vison is not available in Mumbai.
Instead they where asking me to buy.
Phillips Essential Rally H1 100W /12v
H7 80W/12V.

Is it advisable to use they in My Fiat Palio. They say Cutout is not required.
If Vision Plus is available, Please inform me were can i find it in Mumbai.

Regards,
Praneeth

Quote:

Originally Posted by npraneethreddy (Post 1481410)

A cut-out performs two function, (1) it directs more current to the bulbs bypassing the switches, extra length of wiring into cabin and back etc. and (2) it protects the switches (on dash, control stalk etc.) from getting fried.

The Palio uses H1 and H7 bulbs. If you use the Palio mainly for highway drives the higher wattage bulbs might not harm the holders and HL assemblies but if you are going to be using them in the city, the extra heat will definitely affect the reflectors, holders, etc.

Cheers,

Quote:

Originally Posted by npraneethreddy (Post 1481410)

Hi Praneeth

A cutout and relay are definitely required if you are going for higher wattage bulbs, as per my knowledge. If you are simply replacing the bulbs with a different brand/model of the same wattage, a cutout and relay are not required.

For example, I replaced the stock 60/55w H4 halogen bulb in my Avenger 200 bike with a Philips X-Treme Power 60/55w H4 bulb. The lighting is far better and no extra wiring was required. Just had to swap the bulbs. Same thing for our Santro as well.

Instead of Vision Plus, I suggest you try the Philips X-Treme Power. I got a pair of X-Treme Power bulbs (H4) for about 850 bucks here in Chennai.

You can check this site:

PowerBulbs - Car Bulbs, Headlight Bulbs, Xenon Bulbs from Philips and Osram, including Philips Xtreme Power and Osram NightBreaker globes.

Philips X-Treme Power seems to be available in H1, H4 and H7. These guys offer free worldwide delivery too. My cousin ordered his bulbs from this site and received them within 10-12 days. They are pretty good.

Warm regards,
Venkat

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid6639 (Post 1478292)

Maruti also puts a sticker shade on the top of the light with the service centre name. This is again useless and infact blocks the low beam instead of the high beam.

Vid,

You are right, it does block the light throw.

I was at the 20k service of my Alto on Saturday and my SA there put these stickers on the headlamp. He said that it is mandatory as per RTO. Driving back in the night, the low beam throw was horrible and I reached home and ripped the sticker off! :Frustrati

Regards,
gpa

Quote:

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi (Post 1478556)

Will I need another set of relay if I wish to install Lumax fogs on my Getz? Or the existing relay for my 100/90W would serve the purpose?

100/90W will have a significant increase over the stock bulb, No relays are required for the lumax fog lamps, They just harness the power from the pilot lamp bulbs. Its been 4 months and everything's going good.(touch wood)

Quote:

Originally Posted by npraneethreddy (Post 1482520)

@VSG12777 & @ Ravveendrra : I completly understand and agree with the functinality of the cutout relay. But When i checked with the accessory store , there is no cutout for palio.
Please tell me were can i get it done in Mumbai

Cutouts (relays) will be available in automobile spare parts and automobile electricals shops (not accessory shops). They are normally fitted by an automobile electrician. I have no idea of who does it in Mumbai.

Cheers,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra (Post 1465224)

2. Philips Extreme Power / Osram Night breakers in stock wattage give more light than other bulbs and come close to 100/90s. These do not require any relay/wiring kit/holders.

My suggestion: Upgrade your bulbs to Extreme Power / Night breakers and fit additional driving lights (preferably pencil beams) from Hella / Lightforce.

How close does extreme power/night breakers come to 100/90s. 80% ?

Please provide more info on pencil beams driving light from hella. i have only seen them on website so far. How to mount them ? What is the kind of bulb used in it ? how powerful are they in the output ? And cost ?

Some info from my experience. I had philips 90/100 in my verna after the upgrade and then switched to diamond vision philips and then to philips 130/100. I suggest never pick up diamond vision and vision plus. They offer no help. Using 90/100 will not blacken the reflectors. In the worst case if they do, just replace the reflectors. After all, you are very safe and confident with good lights than blindly drive with 55/60 W. But make sure you drive on low beam in city and in highways whenever you see a vehicle from the opposite end.

Quote:

Originally Posted by npraneethreddy (Post 1482520)

Find a good electrician in your are, he will be able to wire it up for you.
The basic is that power connection is taken from battery through separate fuses and given to relay.
The stock wiring now operated the relay instead of the bulbs. he might have to cut off the stock connector to bulb in case a adapter is not available.
Relay powers the bulbs. use two relays to have a fail safe design. there is a bigger single relay also available in market.

Get ceramic connector for bulb and original bosch relay and good quality wire and fuses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi (Post 1478556)

Will I need another set of relay if I wish to install Lumax fogs on my Getz? Or the existing relay for my 100/90W would serve the purpose?

If you use the same relay for headlight and fog then both are gong to come on together and you will not have separate control. use an extra relay for the fogs. one relay is enough considering the fogs are 50w each. also check if the car is factory wired for fogs. then you will not need these. just buy appropriate connector and hook it up till the fogs are not more than 50w.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackbeast (Post 1483082)

Cannot really say in mathematical terms (%age) how much better these bulbs are over stock or how close they are to 100/90, all I can say is that they are substantially better than stock.

There are a few posts here and on other threads about the cost of Hella and Lightforce additional lamps. The best way to mount them is to fix them to a light bar. Neat looking readymade light bars are available nowadays which are fixed under the number plate or to the bumper supports. (Check the lightforce website for a dekko at their lightbar Lightforce - Products.)

One can also get brackets made to fit these lights, while fabricating brackets for lights (and horns) ensure that they do not vibrate else the lights will 'dance' (in case of horns the sound will break). The best way of making them vibration free is to make them as short as possible. These brackets have to bolted securely to a metallic structural part of the body.
Seperate wiring with relays/cutouts and fuses has to be installed for all additional driving lights.

Cheers,